‘Vaughan Gething’s ambitious co-operative agenda for Wales is worth voting for’

2024 brings a new opportunity for our Welsh Co-operative movement. Vaughan Gething is running to be the next leader of Welsh Labour and First Minister of Wales, and for as long as I have known Vaughan, co-operative values have been at the heart of his politics.

After 14 years of a disastrous Tory government in Westminster, this is the year we must finally sweep them out of office and build back a better, fairer economy with a Labour government. Co-operative values and approaches, must play an important part in that renewal – and our agenda to cooperatively share more wealth and power.

In Wales, with Vaughan as First Minister, we already know this would be at the heart of his agenda. Whether on support for credit unions, cooperative business models or fair trade – Vaughan has a clear track record – and I know he would be ambitious at putting cooperative values and solutions even more at the heart of Welsh government policies going forward.

There couldn’t be a clearer example than how as economy minister, Vaughan pledged to double the number of cooperatives in Wales, and it is great news that on his watch that target will be met with time to spare. 

This week he’s also pledged that, as First Minister, he would aim to double them again, as well as explore new ways to support worker buyouts to make them a more viable option for more people.

Vaughan has been a co-operator for as long as I have known him, and as his constituency colleague in Cardiff South and Penarth I’ve seen first-hand, day in and day out, how co-operative values are central to his politics, his policies, and the way that he works. 

In his first year as an Assembly Member (as they were called at the time) Vaughan chaired the cross-party group on co-operatives and mutuals.

When Social Business Wales – which provides specialist support for social enterprises – lost its European funding, following us leaving the EU, Vaughan put his money where his mouth is and stepped in with funding with his own department’s budget.  

Locally, Vaughan and I have both seen and heard how violence and intimidation against shop-workers is causing harm and distress to people in their place of work – as well as the impact of shoplifting.

Together, we have been and will continue to be staunch supporters of USDAW and the Co-operative Party’s strong campaigning on this issue.  

As a minister, Vaughan has consistently championed social enterprises and co-operatives and helped make sure that we support employability and skills for those who need it most.  

When the Welsh government were deciding how best to support the foundational economy – the basic goods and services that we all rely on in our daily lives – Vaughan made sure there was a key focus on social enterprises and co-operatives. He also fought hard alongside the health minister Eluned Morgan to build social value into how NHS funds are spent.  

This is a vision that is being put into practise in other ways across the Welsh government – for example Transport for Wales uniforms are now being made by a group of social enterprises including Ebbw Vale-based Elite Clothing Solutions. 

Vaughan has always been open to and engaged with new ideas and innovation from the co-operative movement – such as the input of fantastic organisations like Cwmpas – the Wales Cooperative Centre, and to learning from co-operatives around the world. 

Co-operative values are of course not only important for workers and communities in Wales. Our movement is also, like Vaughan, committed for example to supporting fair trade globally so that we can build a more equitable world.  

Vaughan has made clear that he would use the office of First Minister to champion fair trade and cooperative solutions to development on a global stage – promoting a greener food chain and protecting biodiversity in the countries that are at greatest risk from climate change. 

Wales has played a unique role with the Wales for Africa programme – and Vaughan would seek to ensure cooperation and mutualism are at the heart of its programmes.

It’s clear from Vaughan’s long-standing commitment and record of delivery as a Co-operative Party member and Minister that Vaughan will also put co-op values into action as Welsh Labour leader.

If you’re a Co-operative Party member in Wales you should already have received your ballot. I have voted for Vaughan, and I hope that you will too.

LabourList is also hoping to run a piece by a supporter of the other Welsh Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Miles in the coming weeks (and if you’d like to write one, email us at [email protected]).